Finally, there is what the author conveniently failed to mention: Many > scientists calculate that it takes as much or more energy to produce ethanol > as can be obtained from it. The result, then, is no net energy savings, but > enormous (and awful) unintended environmental and economic consequences. >
I have heard this time and time again but I have seen NO SUBSTANTIATED STUDIES OR METRICS TO SUPPORT IT. Are you regurgiatating what you saw on the [H]ysteria channel and simply fear-mongering or do you have data to satisfy this claim? I would be VERY interested in reading it. The other challenge is this -- Most farmers aren't using Diesel or Gasoline as we know it anyway to farm their land, Are they? On 8/6/08, Martin Eby <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I read the linked editorial. Written by a guy from Nebraska, I'm not the > least bit surprised about the claims it makes, but that doesn't make them > true. I'm from Kansas myself and am familiar with these arguments. > > His "Myth 1" is, effectively, a lie. Drawing a distinction between > feedstock corn and human corn is horribly disingenuous. The truth is that > any cropland planted in "feed" corn could have been planted in "food" corn. > If farmers planted "feed" corn (correctly believing it will be in high > demand for use in ethanol production) then that is land which won't be used > for "food" grains. > > The remainder of his "myths" (2, 3, and 4) are rephrased versions of the > same (false) claim, i.e. that utilizing corn for ethanol isn't affecting > supply/prices. This too is despicably disingenuous. Food is THE economics > textbook example of inflexible demand and the resulting steep demand/price > curve. The facts are a) people have to eat no matter how great the cost and > b) they can only eat so much regardless of how small the cost. Nearly 20% > of corn went to ethanol in 2006 and it is approaching 50% in 2008 despite > more and more land is being planted in corn (and, thus, not in other crops). > Thus, large-scale use in ethanol production has a tremendous impact on food > prices and can easily quadruple them as has, in fact, happened. > > Finally, there is what the author conveniently failed to mention: Many > scientists calculate that it takes as much or more energy to produce ethanol > as can be obtained from it. The result, then, is no net energy savings, but > enormous (and awful) unintended environmental and economic consequences. > > M. > > P.S. It is important to distinguish between grain-based ethanol and sugar > cane and/or celuulosic ethanol. These latter sources are much more > efficient. > > At 09:35 PM 8/5/2008, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > E85 is often made from feed corn, but not from food corn. Filling up with > E85 may cause beef prices to rise, but it is no secr > _______________________________________________ > Miatapower mailing list > [email protected] > http://list.miatapower.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/miatapower > > -- http://BTDTRacing.com - Float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beemer. Our ebay store: http://stores.ebay.com/btdtracing-36 _______________________________________________ Miatapower mailing list [email protected] http://list.miatapower.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/miatapower
